The Present Future
by Metamorcy
Summary: If there was one person that could control Akashi, even if it was almost unnoticeable, it was none other than the phantom player. Eventual Akashi X Kuroko
1. Chapter 1

**Title:**The Present Future

**By: **Metamorcy

**Rating:**T

**Pairing: **AkashixKuroko

**Summary: **If there was one person that could control Akashi, even if it was almost unnoticeable, it was none other than the phantom player. Fluffish. Eventual Akashi X Kuroko

**Disclaimer:** Seriously? Don't own, just the idea

Beta'ed by WhiteAngel128 and saphire644

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Akashi had always prided himself as being the winner in everything he did, whether it was basketball, his school work or even when playing board games. He was the best, that was all that mattered to him. No one was allowed to toss _him_ off his throne without him knowing and he refused such a thing to happen. He always made sure to be two to three steps ahead for planning, keeping everyone behind. It didn't matter who, from his professors to his own teammates in basketball, he was the one that was in front and winning.

But Kuroko…The phantom player that couldn't do much on his own, the one he had helped brought up, managed to break his pattern, his streak. It had been a miracle, nothing more than that, but it was enough to make Razuken lose to Seirin. Just by one shot, a shot by Kuroko of all people, a buzzer beater, had managed to tip the balance on the scoreboard. It was a shot he hadn't foretold, his emperor eye unable to predict, and that was his downfall.

He felt broken at his defeat, his form shattering and all that that made Akashi who he was had collapsed. His eyes had widened as he watched the basketball bounce on the ground, just moments after passing through the hoop. His body, still in shock, was not even aware of how the other group was cheering for their victory, the sounds around him drowning out into a ringing dullness. He didn't care for the fact that he could feel the droplets of sweat slowly tinkering its way down his face or even his ragged breathing. Nothing mattered at the moment. He didn't collapse, he didn't move, he just stood there like a statue as his mind tried to catch up on the events that had unfolded. His own teammates were staring in disbelief just like him, unable to understand, much less comprehend what had occurred. The thought of it being 'impossible' still echoed in their minds, unable to believe that they had been defeated by a pathetic group such as Seirin.

Kuroko stepped forward and away from his teammates, quiet like always, and peered over towards his ex-captain back in middle school. He stopped right beside Akashi, his blue eyes looking over the red-haired teen, and reached forward. Slowly, his fingers drifted towards the limp hand and grasped it lightly with his own sweaty palms, tugging Akashi's attention to turn to him. Those heterochromatic eyes snapped straight away, slightly unfocused as realization began to settle. The blue-haired teen remained still, not upset by anything, and tilted his head to the side. His short locks were sticking to his forehead, sweat keeping it stuck like glue, but he didn't mind. "Akashi-kun, it's okay," Those gold and red eyes widened, a flash of rage slipping through. Akashi opened his mouth to say something, something to retort to those cursed words, but Kuroko immediately cut him off without any hesitation. "I want you to play against us again sometime in the future, not to win or lose, but for fun. I want you to enjoy the next game we play together."

"Tetsuya…"

"We can't win everything in our life, sometimes we must lose in order to gain something greater."

"Tch." Akashi wanted to say something against that, but no words passed through his lips. Instead, he turned away and headed straight to the locker room, no longer wanting to be around his ex-teammate more than necessary. The redhead ignored the calls from behind, disappearing into the room where no one could see him any longer.

Kuroko observed from the same spot as the door closed behind Akashi's form, watching as it slammed shut, before turning away to his own group. His eyes turned towards Kagami, stepping closer. "He'll come around eventually. Akashi has never been one to remain down forever and he hates to lose. Next time we play against him, we better be prepared."

Kagami just grinned, wiping his forehead with a towel to clean the sweat. "No problem!"

* * *

It had taken almost a week before Akashi had allowed himself to slip back into school and into the basketball team as their captain. Everyone on the team had been disheartened by their lost, shaken up, and Akashi knew he had to whip everyone back into shape in order to take back their title. He wouldn't allow anyone to fall behind for any reason, but there were times when his mind drifted, unable to concentrate. No one mentioned it, understanding the reason as to why. Still, everyone continued to train in an effort to keep their captain happy and from lashing out. It was better to be safe than sorry after all.

"Ah, Akashi is still upset." Hayama pouted, continuing his training program, while keeping his voice down so that the redhead wouldn't hear.

"We all are," Mibuchi grumbled from the side as he followed forward. "But be quiet so that Captain doesn't hear you."

"Fine, fine."

As the rest of the team continued to practice, Akashi remained to the side with his arms folded across his chest. Though, he was concentrating on the group before him, his mind was still distracted no matter what he did. Everyone persisted on their routine to do what they could, but there was a slight deficient in their efforts, not able to bounce back just yet from their defeat. He, and everyone else, didn't even realize when the front door opened up and a shadow stepped into the room unnoticed. Everyone continued on like normal and the person walked across the waxed floors. No one saw him as he stopped right behind the captain, standing there silently as his blue eyes peered outward towards the other.

"Akashi-kun."

The redhead immediately flinched at that, his red and yellow eyes wide in surprise, clearly not expecting such a thing to occur. He spun around in shock, his short red hair twirling around, and peered straight over to the teen who dared to scare him, much less, sneak up on him. Normally, such a thing would never happen, his emperor eye was useful even outside of the court, but he hadn't been concentrating on his surroundings. That was his fault. No one else noticed what was going on, still focused on their own customary. This left the two members of the Generation of Miracles on their own, unheard by anyone else.

"Tetsuya," Akashi muttered under his breath, quickly placing his regular expression back on. He gave a nod and continued to stand there, appearing as normal as possible. But it was hard considering the fact he had lost to the other. It was difficult to not feel anything about it. Still, the redhead knew he was a professional despite being so young and kept his emotions on a rail. "Why are you here?"

Kuroko blinked his eyes. "I came to visit."

"Visit?" Even Akashi raised an eyebrow up at that, confusion slowly making its evident way over him.

The blue-haired teen just stood there, still wearing his school uniform. If anything, Akashi could only guess that the other had left right after school and skipped practice to make it to his school. It would have made him twitch in annoyance, but he had to remind himself that despite being Kuroko's ex-captain, he couldn't really control the phantom player all that well, being beaten in a game was proof of that. It was then that Kuroko's presence started to make itself more known, other members of the team able to pick out the normally invisible person, and turned to stare. Most still didn't, however, and continued to work, wanting to avoid Akashi's wrath. Those that could see were curious as to why the 'enemy', the reason why they were training so hard, had come over.

Kuroko didn't pay any mind to them, didn't care, and kept his focus on the slightly taller teen. "Akashi-kun, can you go out with me?"

The basketball court instantaneously went still as shoes tried to stop and silence began to settle in. One person even tripped and skidded across the court. The redhead blinked once, twice, his eyes never straying from the other. "What?" Those blank blue eyes continued to stare, never wavering. Still, despite the odd question, Akashi kept his calm and unfolded his arms, looking over the other carefully. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, can you go shopping with me?"

"Ah," There was a slight twitch, unnoticed, and the shoulders went a little lax. "I see. So that's what you meant." Akashi raised a hand up to his forehead, feeling a slight headache coming on. He was reticent for a bit, thinking on his situation. It wouldn't hurt after all. There was no harm in following Kuroko's wishes, but there was still the question of why. "Why me though? We are on opposite teams. You could very well ask that coach of yours for help."

"Hmm," Kuroko tilted his head to the side and blinked. "But it wouldn't be Akashi-kun. You were always better at choosing certain gear out than others."

"That's true. Fine, I shall go along with your wishes. Practice should be finishing up soon so if you wait a little, we can walk there. And considering you probably took a train here, I'll give you a ride back later."

"Thank you." A slight twitch on Kuroko's lips revealed just how happy he was at that prospect and nodded his head, remaining by Akashi's side. The redhead turned his attention back towards everyone else and glared, his gaze darkening under his bangs. Almost immediately, everyone went back to practicing, trying to keep their attention off the pair towards the side. It was hard considering their presence despite Kuroko's misdirection. To some, it looked like their fearless captain was standing there besides a ghost, though the notion of that made some shiver.

'Didn't expect Akashi to actually agree to that request. How odd,' Mibuchi thought to himself as he continued to dash around the court, dribbling the basketball in one hand while dodging others. 'Well, Akashi has always been prideful.'

"Ah, Akashi-kun," Kuroko called out from the side, catching the captain's attention immediately. Those multi-colored eyes glanced over from the side, giving permission to continue on. "The one with the number eight jersey, he called you a short-tempered shorty while I was walking by."

The group paused at that, heads snapping their way to one of the three crownless generals and the most gluttonous, Nebuya. The dark-skinned teen was already sweating, flinching downward when he saw his captain's eyes glaring at him. He backed up, the ball falling to the floor out of fear and gulped. "T-That's not true. I-I would never say such a thing."

"Oh?" Akashi gave a sinister smirk, a dark aura surrounding him, and everyone except for Kuroko backed away. Even the coach, when he first stepped in, instantly took one back to get out of range. It was clear to anyone that pissing off their sadistic captain was a big no-no and only an idiot would do such a thing. "Your training routine has been tripled. However, since I have no time to oversee it, you better stay late today and tomorrow to make up for it. Missing or relaxing will prolong your punishment. And I'll be adding some…extra requirements for you as well. How does volunteering at a homeless feeding center sound?"

Nebuya just shakily nodded his head, fearing for his own life, and ran off to start before things escalated too far. With a sharp glare from Akashi's eyes, everyone else went back to work, leaving the gym in silence except the dribbling of the ball, the squeaks of shoes, and the sounds of breathing. The two members of the Generation of Miracles remained in the back, quietly watching in silence, neither of them speaking.

Mibuchi shook his head at the stupidity his teammate had shown, knowing that the punishment was Nebuya's own fault. His eyes glanced back at the phantom player and raised an eyebrow at the sight. Was Kuroko smiling? He narrowed his eyes to better examine, but didn't see anything all that different. The blue-haired teen looked the same as always, remaining still and almost like a ghost. 'Still, it's clear this Kuroko purposefully said those words. I'd hate to see those two team up on some poor individual. Though, is it me or did Kuroko just convince Akashi to punish Mibuchi?' Wiggling his nose, he shrugged his shoulders, not thinking much on the idea. He had practice to work on and he'd rather not be on the bad side of their already pissed off captain.

* * *

Well, hopefully this is a nice start. Let me know :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Present Future

**By:** Metamorcy

**Rating:** T

**Pairing: **AkashixKuroko

**Summary:** If there was one person that could control Akashi, even if it was almost unnoticeable, it was none other than the phantom player. Fluffish. Eventual Akashi X Kuroko

**Disclaimer:** Seriously? Don't own, just the idea

Beta'ed by WhiteAngel128

* * *

**Chapter 2**

It wasn't much longer until practice was over, most of the team immediately disappearing before they could anger the redhead any further. He was already irritated enough as it was from the earlier comments and it was only around Kuroko that he'd calmed down enough to have a decent conversation that didn't involve orders or threats. The members of the basketball team were walking on eggshells, one wrong move could send them spiraling towards misery. In order to prevent such destruction everyone made sure to do their best, pushing their bodies harder if only to avoid more work the next day. However, the moment practice ended they didn't need to look twice at their captain to know when to make themselves scarce. Before long, the court was completely empty, leaving the two Generation of Miracles members by themselves near the center. The place was completely silent, a strong contrast to the constant sounds of bouncing balls and the squeaking of shoes as they slid across the waxed floor that was usually paramount. It almost looked as if the court had been abandoned.

Neither of them spoke to the other as Akashi closed the gym, turning off the lights after changing and grabbing his gear. The redhead was back in his school uniform, quite different to when he wore the team uniform, and appeared neat, looking perfect in every little way. It was like the redhead refused to have a slight thread out of place or a small ball of dust on a sleeve. Kuroko remained off to the side, eventually moving outside to wait, patiently and as quiet as usual. Soon he heard the backdoor opening, alerting him that Akashi had finished with his preparations.

"Ready?" The captain spoke, carrying a small school bag that contained only his information on the team and his school materials. The rest of his basketball items had been left in the locker-room where it would be safer compared to if he carried it around, that and it was too bulky to take to their destination. Kuroko simply nodded his head in agreement, stepping closer, and tilted his head as if waiting for the other to continue on the conversation. Akashi, familiar with Kuroko's personality, rotated around to face the front of the school as the leader. "What exactly did you need, Tetsuya?"

"A new basketball and shoes. The previous ones keep falling apart on me."

Akashi raised an eyebrow at that, still walking forward to lead them both out of the massive school complex. "Can you not buy that stuff on your own? You've been playing basketball for a long time; you should be able to pick those out by yourself."

The blue-haired teen nodded his head in agreement and kept his gaze on the road as they strode forward, past the front of the school grounds. There was no one else in the area; everyone had already gone home for the day since the sun had long since set. The silence surrounding them was comforting; it was like they were the only two people in the world for the duration of those few minutes. "Yes, but Akashi-kun always knows quality."

Raising a hand up to rub the bottom of his chin, the redhead nodded. "I see, then that shouldn't be an issue. I know a few places that sell good equipment. Even though we aren't on the same team anymore, when I get my rematch with you, I want you to be in tip-top condition," A small smile slipped onto Kuroko face, he nodded his head at those words, remaining quiet as Akashi continued speaking, "Anyway, I know a few stores on the way that are within walking distance. And it would be rude not to give you a ride home afterwards, especially considering how late it will be. I'll ask someone to pick us up and drive you home."

"Ah, before that," Kuroko spoke up, catching the redhead's attention, those multi-colored eyes peered over, "would it be alright to get something to eat as well? I left right after school and it's beginning to get late. I haven't had anything to eat since lunch."

"That's fine with me. Being hungry lessens your ability to think clearly."

"You're always concerned about the smallest things." A small twitch of Kuroko's lips alluded to the likelihood he was about to laugh, but no further movement or sound presented itself. To those who saw them on the street that night they just seemed like regular teenagers hanging out. It was as if they were friends despite the little conversation that exchanged between them. Their bodies remained close to each other, not minding the other's presence, rather it almost seemed like they were enjoying it. It was rare for them to actually hang out.

Akashi raised an eyebrow as those words passed the blunet's lips, his multi-colored eyes glancing over curiously once more. His arms were folded across his chest, his bag hanging off one arm. A sudden gust of wind passed through the street, ruffling his short hair, and anything else that was in the way. The surrounding tree branches rustled and the overhead curtains fluttered at the breeze. "Oh?" He went silent soon after, taking in his surroundings.

Neither of them responded afterwards, continuing on their way down the streets. They avoided the other people that were traveling down the same area, not wanting to bother with anyone else. Kuroko had to maneuver himself around the people due to being invisible to everyone else, he narrowed his eyebrows slightly in frustration. Eventually, they made it to the first store that was on Akashi's list, just a block or two from the school itself. The two teenagers stood in front of the building and Kuroko stared at it questionably, never having heard of the name before. Smirking cunningly, the redhead stepped right in knowing very well that his ex-teammate would follow right behind him like a ghost. He went ahead, walking straight to a section close to the back. There was a rack of shoes lined up neatly, the price tags quite high in number.

Kuroko blinked, tilting his head slightly as he took in the prices, before glancing towards his companion. There was a flash of worry within his blue eyes, though his expression revealed nothing. "Ah, Akashi-kun, I can't afford these prices. They are too expensive."

"Agreed, but they will last longer than three of your regular shoes. They are made with better quality and are therefore worth the price," The redhead peered back at Kuroko, who continued to stare at the price tags in distress, knowing he couldn't afford these numbers. It wasn't as if Kuroko was poor, it just that these were _too_ expensive. The ranges for the shoes were around 7500 to 10,000 yen. The stares continued and the redhead could already see a dark gloomy cloud appearing above Kuroko's head as he continued to stare at the price tags, knowing he was unable to afford it. Sighing, Akashi reached forward and grabbed a pair that he knew would fit the slightly shorter teen. It was easy to pick out things for the other when they shared the same sizes for shoes and clothes. He gave an arrogant smirk, not even bothering with the prices, and placed the box underneath his arm. "It's fine, I can pay for them."

"Eh?"

The captain smirked as he watched the other perk up slightly. "I should have known better than to take you to a shop where you couldn't afford the items. However, I will argue that these are some of the best out there on the market," He watched as the other looked at him with hopeful eyes, his eyebrows twitching. It wasn't a large difference in Kuroko's expression, anyone else that saw him would think he was acting normal, but to someone who was an expert with emotions, could tell the difference. "Don't look at me like that, I already said I would."

"Akashi-kun is so kind."

"Don't get used to it. I can't do this for you all the time." Akashi shook his head, holding both his bag and the shoe box easily.

"Then I'll pay for dinner."

The redhead nodded in agreement, allowing the notion. "Alright, I know a good place close by. It's also close to the basketball store I wanted to take you to as well."

"Please remember I'm not rich, I can only afford so much."

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Akashi glanced over towards the blue-haired teen curiously. He had found the entire night with Kuroko to be quite… enjoyable, more so than when he was with his classmates or the members of the basketball team. It was different, in a way. It wasn't anything like how it had been back in middle school when it was only about business, now it was purely… companionship. It was a strange feeling and Akashi wasn't used to it. Still, he let things flow along, curious as to how everything would turn out. However, the time when Kuroko would need to leave was getting closer and he had already called someone to pick him up, he didn't want his ex-teammate staying out too late. They were now waiting for the driver to arrive; Kuroko was carrying a plastic bag containing his new shoes and basketball in one hand and a vanilla milkshake in his other.

"It was quite nice today, Akashi-kun. I had fun." The smaller teen stared towards the ground, slurping on his milkshake happily.

"Agreed, it was different in a way. If you need any other advice, do not hesitate to talk to me. Do you have my cellphone number?"

Kuroko shook his head and placed the plastic bag on the ground in order to retrieve his cell. He handed it to the red head, granting him permission to input it himself. As Akashi quickly added his number, he noticed that he was able to see the other contacts and a few messages already on the phone. Most of them were from the basketball teams, more from Kagami, and a few from Aomine and Kise. Most of the messages weren't all that interesting to look through, he already knew what they would be about.

Akashi quickly finished and handed the device back. "You are welcome to text me, I'll reply as quickly as possible."

"Thanks. Ah, before I forget," Kuroko shifted his body slightly as he peered into those multi-colored eyes. "I also wanted to ask you this. There's going to be a spring break soon and my team was planning on heading out for training. We haven't chosen the site yet, but I wanted to see if you wanted to bring your group along as well. It'll help both sides in training. After all, seeing their opponent beside them makes anyone want to do their best to outshine the other."

"Hmm," The redhead rubbed the bottom of his chin, quickly calculating whether or not it was for the best or not. He couldn't see anything wrong with the idea and it would definitely be beneficial for the team than simply remaining at school. It could work as a way to boost their morality. "I'll think about it. I do like the idea however; I'll need to check the funds. I'll send you a message sometime tomorrow. That should be alright, yes?"

"Yes, thank you, Akashi-kun." Just as they made it to the end of their conversation, the driver finally came, stopping in front of the two teenagers. They shared their awkward goodbyes and went their separate ways. Akashi wanted to walk home instead of getting a ride, leaving himself in the silence of the street. As the vehicle vanished behind a wall onto the main street, the redhead smirked to himself, finding the situation interesting. It looked like he would be talking with the others tomorrow about this little plan.

* * *

7500-10,000 yen = $100-$135 in USD – regular shoes cost around $20-$50 depending on the brand. However, since there's been a change in yen to USD (100 yen = $1 now), the price would be different.


End file.
